William Daroff - Building Consensus in a Divided World

Episode 65 of What Gives?—the Jewish philanthropy podcast from Jewish Funders Network, hosted by JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny. In this episode, we speak with William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

With decades of experience navigating Washington and Jerusalem, William offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the Conference builds consensus across a coalition of 50 diverse Jewish organizations. We explore the delicate balance between public statements and quiet diplomacy, how Jewish communal leaders respond to rising antisemitism on campus, and what it means to represent a politically diverse Jewish community in times of division and crisis.

William shares his personal journey from grassroots political campaigns to the highest levels of Jewish leadership, and the lessons he’s learned about relationship-building, advocacy, and the surprising power of passionate moderation. Take a listen.